[stein_325i]

To anyone that's interested, Automobile Magazine just finished testing their M550i for a year long long-term test, and gave their thoughts and opinions on the vehicle. Overall the staff was pretty divided in opinions, with many finding the car good, but not exiting. They complimented the M550i's long list of features, smooth ride and fast powertrain, and easy livability/comfort, but found the driving experience somewhat underwhelming as well as the influence of the M badge to boost expectations higher for driving dynamics (which were ultimately not met).

Original Article -> https://www.automobilemag.com/news/2...-test-wrap-up/

[clee1982]

The usual divide, those missing the BMW of the old... I suppose the new M lite is a bit more like Alpina than full blown M

[Tk718]

Disagree with the journalist reviews, had the car for a year now and I enjoy it everyday. I think they are expecting a track car. For the everyday commute and weekend backroads this a very balanced car.

[Rotherd31]

^^^^^

[CosmicCharlie]

I'm not surprised by the mixed reviews- at the m550 price point, especially well-optioned, this car isn't going to impress everybody. I do agree that getting rid of the M-lite badging would maybe help better align expectations... it's definitely not an M car.

Personally, at almost 2yrs ownership and nearly 30k miles, this car is a perfect fit for what I want. For the first time, I'm not already looking down the road at "what to get next".

Funny enough, after driving the 540, while a great car, I wouldn't even consider it as an option... felt very anemic and bland and like the motor has to work hard to achieve the relatively good acceleration/performance compared to the effortless power delivery of the 550. I guess for me it really comes down to having significant v8 power matched with a very comfortable and attractive interior.

[jsf721]

I daily drive a 540 IX Drive M Sport, I drove the M550IX before purchasing the 540IX and I have driven the *M5 and New *M5 Competition (* on the track for these 2, never on the street). After reading the article my feelings are as follows.

Bang for the buck is why I chose the 540 IX Msport. For my daily driver is was plenty for what I do everyday. I have another vehicle in the garage to meet my adrenaline needs. If funds were unlimited, I would have gone for the M550 as its everything the 540 M Sport is and more GOGO. The louder exhaust is a negative for me for a Daily Driver. I'm not looking for attention in fact I like the opposite.

I think the Automobile mag writers forgot what the general public wants in grand tourer. The M550ix is great for that. If I had to drive across country the M550ix is a fine choice. The Automobile guys are expecting the M to mean something on the back of the car and in reality it is worlds away form the M5 or M5 Competition. Driving those is a whole different experience. Ultimate street car DD no money factored into the choice, give me an M5 all day. its just perfect for what I need and also lust after in a car. It can haul family, or drag race the snot nose kid in his boy racer (and most likely win).

The M5 Competition is a crazy set up and for the track I would prefer it, but the suspension is just a bit more ridged than I would care for on a daily driver. Other than that its an M5 and the tick more HP was not noticeable even drving them back to back on and off all day.

I would add the ceramic brakes to the M5 for sure. They were on the Competition not the M5 and that was noticeable as the day wore on. Not sure it would be as noticeable on the street.

I think the Magazine guys are upper level car guys used to driving the best of the best of the best and they forgot one important thing. The M550IX is a dam awesome all around car. It does everything it was designed to do perfectly well, it's just not an M5 that they may have been expecting. Without the M expectation the article would have been a wholly different.

I personally would never add an M badge to my 540 Msport for much the same reason. The expectation of M performance has the potential to kill an otherwise sweet, capable fun set up.

BMW has kept the fun to drive baked into these tech fueled 5 Series cars and that a lot more than I can say for the Audi equals.

[cartaozinho]

Originally Posted by CosmicCharlie

Personally, at almost 2yrs ownership and nearly 30k miles, this car is a perfect fit for what I want. For the first time, I'm not already looking down the road at "what to get next".

While I'm at 1.5 years and 16k miles, I feel the exact same way (although I will admit to letting my eyes wander toward the M5...).

In terms of facts and figures, the writeup linked above is dead on with my experience. Especially the grand touring bit. But my enjoyment of the car has not diminished since buying it, even on the twisty mountain roads I seek out sometimes.

It's likely just selection bias (people wouldn't buy a 550 unless they liked it, afterall) but, the people around here seem to love their 550's. I know I do.

[ksoze]

The Gesture Control quibbles makes the list again. I agree it is not very well executed, but funny how a small option can raise to a level where it impacts the cars overall review.

I also agree, much of the review was really a protest vote on BMW (and others) watering down of their performance brand icons.

[RLSinCO]

I guess journalists, like movie and restaurant critics, have to find something to quibble about.

I agree with other M550 owners - I absolutely love mine as it provides me the right blend of performance, luxury and you don't see them like a dime a dozen on the road.

Having owned an M3, that performance caliber is wasted 90% of the time driving on public roads LOL...not to mention that a similar percentage of drivers who own M cars don't even know how to wring that level of performance out of the car!

I almost feel as though journalists should write two reviews: one for everyday, normal driving and one aimed more at track driving if that is what the car is capable of.

[clee1982]

originally I thought gesture control is just gimic (and if it didn't come with executive package I would be glad to sacrifice it to save a bit $), though I do use it for the self assign to mute radio a lot, not so much for the volume control

[jjscsix]

I'd love to get paid to take cars out on "fun" roads and drive them hard. Then I would probably not like the five series either. But like most owners, I use it to get where I'm going and I live in a city with zero fun roads. I have fast motorcycles that I take to the best roads we have within 150 miles every week, so I get that part. But it's not what I bought the BMW for.

What they don't like about the car is exactly what I do like about the car. It is comfortable but has decent control for around town driving. And I do use the horsepower I have to power through traffic. I occasionally think a C43 or 63 Mercedes would be neat cars for similar money. But then I read reviews that they have a pretty stiff ride.

[Pictor]

Over two years of driving my M550i and I feel like the Automobile article is spot on. The ///M badge on the trunk does set expectations which I feel aren't met with this car. That said, if you called this a 550i M-Sport, I think the review would be very different. Still, I said this early on when I purchased the car and I still feel that the suspension could be a bit sharper although if it was people would complain about it being too harsh for the car of this size and caliber so it's a no-win proposition for BMW. Steering is a bit softer than I would like too but given the cars size and position in the lineup one could understand why BMW took this approach.

I feel the G30 is a very good modern version of the E39 540i that people seem to praise without remembering the flaws that the E39 also had. For example, the recirc. ball steering vs the R&P of the smaller engine E39's and the dull CDV combined with the long shift throw on the manual transmission. The G30 makes similar tradeoffs that favors a more refined drive.

I'm over two years into my lease and I've started looking at my next car. I've owned one E12, two E28's, an E34, an E39, an E60, and F10, and now a G30. That's every single model of 5-Series that BMW has made. That's in addition to a few other BMW's over the years.

I really want an EV and could even consider a SUV. I'm addicted to torque for day-to-day driving so my reasons for considering an EV may be different than that of most typical EV buyers. That said, I'm going to carefully watch for any changes to the G30 to see if BMW addresses the cars sharpness. The new engine and the late but welcome introduction of the rear LSD is promising.

[530iDriver]

The US car rags have never liked the G30.

Car has reviewed much better in Europe and elsewhere.

[hlothery]

Almost a year, and 19K miles on mine. I love it, and love the M badge. I think it is quicker off the line and out of corners than my previous M4, and deserves it's M designation. I definitely do not miss all the wheelspin. The suspension is softer, this is true. But couple the power, the AWD, the luxury, and the roominess with the overall performance of this car, and I am in heaven. I, too, have driven the M5 Comp on track, and love that, too.....but not for a DD on city streets. M550i for me!

[gooselee]

Love my M550, but I'm only at 7 months and 2200 miles. I work from home and only drive 2-3 days a week anyway, and I split time between my M550 and and old 4Runner depending on what I'm doing.

But between that and my wife also driving it a couple times a week, we've put more miles on it than we expected actually. It's just so enjoyable to drive, and exactly what we were looking for in a well-rounded, performance-leaning sedan. In terms of the core act of getting you from one place to another, I think it's pretty hard to beat.

The M5 is overkill for city roads or even US highways, IMO. I don't need to burn rubber every time I go get groceries or leave the office. It's a fun car, but I'm happy to pay someone else every so often to go toss *their* car around a track where you can actually unlock the true M cars.